The Stat Line Of The Night — 3/20/11 — P.K. Subban

With several of their regulars sitting out due to injuries, the Montreal Canadiens’ line-up during last night’s game against the Minnesota Wild closely resembled that of their farm team, the Hamilton Bulldogs. It was the perfect time for one of their young up-and-comers to step up and seize the moment. Rookie defenseman P.K. Subban would do just that.

Subban’s first goal of the night came 51 second into the second period as he would play keep-away with the Wild players in the attacking zone before sliding the puck past goaltender Jose Theodore. He would add two more goals and an assist, en route to his first career hat-trick and the 8-1 victory.

Just to put things into perspective, it took the Detroit Red Wings’ Nicklas Lidstrom, who many consider to be one of the greatest defenseman ever, until the age of 40 to score his first career hat-trick. Subban accomplished that feat in his first full season at the age of 21, and it has earned him “The Stat Line of the Night” for Sunday, March 20, 2011.